North Central Province · Cultural Triangle
Sigiriya
A 5th-century rock fortress rising about 200 m above the jungle, and the most iconic single sight in Sri Lanka.
10 days · 9 nights
10-Day Classic Sri Lanka
Ten days that take in the ancient cities, the hill country, a wildlife park and a proper stretch on the south coast, at a pace that leaves room to breathe.
- Duration
- 10 days · 9 nights
- Route
- Colombo Airport → Sigiriya → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Ella → Yala → south coast → departure
- Vehicle
- SUV
Highlights
What this tour covers
- Sigiriya, Dambulla and the ancient capital
- Tea country by road, with the option of the famous train
- Ella at an unhurried pace
- Dawn game drive in Yala
- Three nights on the south coast
- Galle Fort before you fly home
Key experiences
- Two nights in the Cultural Triangle
- Tea country by road
- A rest day in Ella
- Yala at dawn
- Galle Fort before departure
Day by day
10 days · 9 nights itinerary
A planned route with realistic driving times. Days can be reordered, extended or shortened when we build your version.
Day 1
CMB · Dambulla · Sigiriya
Colombo Airport to Sigiriya
Meet at arrivals and drive inland with a stop at the Dambulla cave temples. Dinner and an early night near the rock.
Approx. 3.5–4.5 hrs of driving plus the Dambulla stop.
Overnight: Sigiriya area
Day 2
Sigiriya climb · Polonnaruwa
Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa
Sunrise climb of the fortress, then a relaxed afternoon among the ruins of Polonnaruwa or an evening safari at Minneriya.
Local driving only.
Overnight: Sigiriya area
Day 3
spice country · Kandy
Sigiriya to Kandy
Drive to Kandy with a spice garden stop. Evening at the Temple of the Tooth and a walk around the lake.
Approx. 2.5–3 hrs of driving plus stops.
Overnight: Kandy
Day 4
Peradeniya gardens · Kandy city
Kandy at leisure
A slower day: the botanical gardens, the market, the viewpoint, and a dance show in the evening if you want one. It balances the longer driving days either side of it.
Local sightseeing only.
Overnight: Kandy
Day 5
Ramboda · tea estate · Nuwara Eliya
Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
The climb into tea country with waterfall stops and a factory tasting. Cool evening in Nuwara Eliya.
Approx. 2–2.5 hrs of driving plus stops.
Overnight: Nuwara Eliya
Day 6
Haputale · Ella
Nuwara Eliya to Ella
Estate roads and mountain views down to Ella. Afternoon free for the Nine Arch Bridge and Little Adam's Peak.
Approx. 2–2.5 hrs of driving plus stops.
Overnight: Ella
Day 7
Ella · Diyaluma or local walks
A day in Ella
No long drive today. Choose a waterfall trip to Diyaluma, a longer hike, or simply a slow morning and a swim at a waterfall pool.
Optional local excursions only.
Overnight: Ella
Day 8
Ravana Falls · Yala
Ella to Yala
Descend through Budduruwagala and the dry-zone farmland to your stay beside the park, arriving with time to rest before an early start.
Approx. 2.5–3 hrs of driving plus stops.
Overnight: Yala area
Day 9
dawn safari · Mirissa or Weligama
Yala to the south coast
Game drive at first light, breakfast, then west to the coast. Check in by the sea with the afternoon free for a swim.
Safari, then approx. 2.5–3 hrs to the coast.
Overnight: Mirissa / Weligama
Day 10
coast · Galle Fort · CMB
South coast to Colombo Airport
A morning on the beach or an early walk through Galle Fort, then the expressway north to the airport with time for your flight.
Approx. 2.5–3.5 hrs from the coast to the airport, plus the Galle stop.
Overnight: Departure
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle for all ten days
- Professional chauffeur for the whole tour
- Fuel, tolls and the driver's costs
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Daily route planning and adjustments as you travel
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Entrance tickets to sites, parks and gardens
- Safari jeep and park fees
- Train tickets
- Boat trips, surfing lessons and other activities
- Personal expenses and travel insurance
Optional experiences
- Train from Nanu Oya to Ella with luggage moved by car
- Diyaluma Falls day trip from Ella
- Whale watching in Mirissa (season permitting)
- Surf lesson in Weligama
- Second Yala game drive at dusk
Travel notes
- Day 4 exists so the trip is not driving every day — resist the urge to fill it.
- Whale watching runs roughly December to April; outside that we plan a different morning.
- Departure day depends on your flight: an evening flight lets you enjoy Galle, a morning flight does not.
- Luggage stays in the car for the whole tour, so pack a day bag for daily stops.
Vehicle
1–4 passengers
A higher, roomier vehicle suited to hill-country roads, longer driving days and travellers who prefer more space for passengers and bags.
All vehicles →Pricing
Quoted for your dates
The price depends on the vehicle, travellers, hotels and dates. We send a written quote for the whole trip — per vehicle, not per person — before you confirm anything.
Pricing questions →Places on this route
Where you will spend your time
Central Province · hill capital
Kandy
The last royal capital of Sri Lanka, set around a lake and home to the country's most sacred Buddhist temple.
Central Province · tea country
Nuwara Eliya
Sri Lanka's tea heartland at about 1,900 m — cool, green and often misty, with colonial-era architecture and endless estates.
Uva Province · hill country
Ella
A small hill-town of tea estates, waterfall walks and long valley views — the easiest place in Sri Lanka to slow down for a few days.
Southern Province · national park
Yala
Sri Lanka's most famous national park, known for leopards, elephants and a landscape of scrub, lagoons and rock outcrops.
Southern Province · beach town
Mirissa
A curved bay on the south coast for swimming, whale watching and slow afternoons — a classic end to a hill-country itinerary.
Southern Province · fort town
Galle
A UNESCO-listed Dutch fort on the southern coast — ramparts, lanes, cafés and the best-preserved colonial town in Asia.
FAQ
Questions about this tour
Is 10 days enough to see Sri Lanka?
Enough for the highlights plus a beach stretch. Sri Lanka is small but the roads are slow, so a realistic ten-day route covers about six or seven bases rather than twelve.
Can we change the order of the itinerary?
Yes. The itinerary is a starting point — if you would rather swap the coast for the east, or drop Kandy, tell us and we will rebuild the route around your dates.
Do you book hotels for us?
We recommend hotels that fit your budget and route and coordinate timings around them. The rooms themselves are booked and paid by you, so the price stays transparent.
Interested in this tour?
Ask about the 10-Day Classic Sri Lanka.
Send us your dates and group size and we will come back with availability, the day-by-day plan and a price.